


count the ways

by ryvrr



Series: favorite things [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Established Relationship, Fluff, Iwaizumi is very gay for Oikawa just like the rest of us, M/M, No Plot/Plotless, Post-Canon, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-14
Updated: 2017-12-14
Packaged: 2019-02-14 18:09:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13013325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ryvrr/pseuds/ryvrr
Summary: Iwaizumi ponders all of the smiles Oikawa has, and the ones he likes best.





	count the ways

**Author's Note:**

> My first Iwaoi! * u *
> 
> I hope I did the characters justice. I'm planning on writing more Iwaoi in the future-- I have a multichapter story planned for a Chihayafuru AU, cause Oikawa in traditional clothing while playing karuta is my _dream_. Anyway, this is just pointless fluff. I woke up early yesterday and started it, then woke up early again today and finished it. 
> 
> I hope someone enjoys! Please find me on tumblr at ryvrr. I post tidbits there and talk about stuff a lot for future plots and stories. <3

Iwaizumi liked Oikawa’s smile.

He liked all of his smiles-- even the fake ones, even the ones with too much bravado, but he loved the real ones the most. 

There was his shy one, where he looked down and his long, pretty lashes cast shadows on his cheeks. His lips would curve softly and he’d flush, the color creeping up his neck and into his cheeks, soft pink against pale skin. He’d act bashful-- “ _Iwa-chaaaan,_ ” he’d whine pathetically, “ _you’re embarrassing meeee!_ ”-- but his eyes would show how much he enjoyed it. Iwaizumi liked those ones, tucked them away in a corner of his heart and memories, so later he could pull them out and study them, appreciate them more. 

The next one was his truly confident one. The fake bravado ones were an act, a carefully constructed facade to put up whenever he needed it and couldn’t find the courage to truly be brave. Iwaizumi didn’t hate those ones-- he hated none of Oikawa’s smiles, no matter how much he tried to pretend he disliked the ones that didn’t reach his eyes. But the one that filled Oikawa’s gaze with a quiet, steady strength… those ones, they took his breath away. 

Because everyone always forgot, with all Oikawa’s whining and childish antics at times, that he was so _strong_. He was brave and selfless, and he gave up so much for volleyball and his team. Even now, even in college when he was on a whole different level, he was still the same headstrong boy he once was in high school, in junior high, in childhood. He was still Oikawa Tooru, who cried a bit too much and pretended to be immature, but was truly the backbone of any team he joined. 

After that, a lot of the smiles bleeded together. There was his cocky one, where he was sure he would get whatever he wanted from Iwaizumi. That one did funny things to Iwaizumi’s insides. There was his contemplative smile, where he didn’t realize his best friend was watching him and he was thinking deeply about something, something that warmed him up and spread warmth slowly into his brown irises. 

The nervous smile he wore when he confessed to Hajime. That one would probably always come to the forefront whenever Iwaizumi started to think about Oikawa’s beaming face. It looked as if one wrong word could cause it to crumble, as Oikawa’s unsteady fingers clenched together in front of him and he forced a grin to his lips. “ _I like you,_ ” he’d said, for once deciding that simple was best. “ _I want to go on a date with Iwa-chan._ ” 

“ _I like you too,_ ” Iwaizumi had replied. Simple was the best tactic. If he waxed poetically about his feelings for Tooru, then there might be a chance he’d take a word wrong, overanalyze something and misconstrue. Hajime never wanted that to happen when it came to something like this. “ _Where do you want to go on our date?_ ” 

The way Oikawa’s eyes lit up-- it was like a sugar high, plowing through Iwaizumi’s veins and lighting up every nerve center in his body. He felt as if he could conquer the world, as long as he had Tooru by his side. He’d always felt like that, ever since they were children, ever since the first time Hajime held out his hand when they were toddlers and Oikawa had gripped it weakly, with a wobbly smile, and Iwaizumi had thought, “ _I would beat up anyone who made that smile disappear._ ” 

There was the smile after they were done having sex-- “ _Hajime is so_ vulgar _,_ ” Tooru would tease if he heard him, “ _it’s making_ love _when it’s with someone you care for like we do, Iwa-chan!_ ”-- where his cheeks were flushed red and his lips were even darker, kiss bruised and shining. The smile would start slow at first, tilt up his lips and then spread further, faster, overtake everything as Oikawa beamed. 

Hajime loved that one second best, he decided. 

His favorite had been hard to decide upon consciously. He had known in the back of his mind which one it was. There was really no contest. The shaky one, the one that Tooru really _meant_ , the one that said thank you whenever Iwaizumi did something sweet or caring. “ _Sit down,_ ” Iwaizumi ordered one night, Oikawa’s knee brace in one hand and the other wielding a pain killer bottle like he might chuck it at his boyfriend’s head. “ _You need this, so don’t even try to fight it._ ” 

Oikawa’s lips had compressed together, his eyes displeased. He hated weakness. Just because they were in university now meant nothing. His knee was still weak when he pushed it too hard, but he loathed to admit it. “ _I’m fine, Iwa-chan,_ ” Oikawa hurried to assure him. “ _It’s just a little twinge!_ ” 

“ _A little twinge, and then it blooms into worse,_ ” Hajime pointed out logically. Oikawa’s eyes dulled a bit. He knew Iwaizumi was right. He heaved a huge, dramatic sigh, as if Iwaizumi’s concern was an inconvenience. 

“ _Okay,_ ” he breathed as he sunk onto the couch. “ _Okay, okay, hand it here, Iwa-chan! I’ll do it!_ ” 

Iwaizumi ignored him and sunk to his knees before his perch, hands gentle as he got the brace ready and assisted in putting it on. The pain pills were next. Iwaizumi grabbed Oikawa’s water bottle off the coffee table and swung it around like a sword, brandishing it so that it nearly smacked Tooru in the nose. Oikawa grumbled in complaint as he took the pain killers and threw back a gulp of water to wash them down. 

“ _Such a worrywart,_ ” Oikawa teased. 

Iwaizumi shrugged. “ _Someone has to worry about you,_ ” he pointed out. “ _Might as well be me. It’s what I’m best at._ ” Oikawa paused and blinked owlishly down at him. He looked startled. Iwaizumi wasn’t sure if it was because Oikawa wasn’t used to Iwaizumi admitting his fondness and love-- he was coarse around the edges, still, even after years of dating-- or because it was just a weird situation. Iwaizumi being understanding about his knee, knowing that there wasn’t much to do about the situation, because Oikawa couldn’t _stop_ playing volleyball. Volleyball was as much a part of him as his obsession with aliens and UFOs. “ _I like doing it,_ ” he admitted softly. “ _I like taking care of you, so… let me._ ” 

It started out slow. Tooru’s eyes warmed up first, and his lips followed suit very slowly. It was shaky and wavered at the edges, like Oikawa wasn’t sure if he wanted to laugh or cry. He reached out and settled a hand in Iwaizumi’s hair and gripped it, gently, as if to tether himself down. “ _Okay,_ ” Oikawa said simply in response. Hajime watched as the smile crumbled a little around the edges, but remained, even in the face of all else. “ _I like it best when Hajime takes care of me anyway. It… it all works out._ ” 

The next several moments passed peacefully. Hajime clambered onto the couch and wrapped his arms around Oikawa, anything to give him more reassurance. He never wanted him to suffer through any of his emotions alone. He needed to remember Iwaizumi was _there_ , always there, ready to swoop in and help whenever needed. 

Oikawa had many smiles. Over the years, Iwaizumi had figured he’d seen them all. He catalogued them in the back of his head and stowed them inside his memories, to recall on days when he needed fond reminders of cherishing someone and giving his all for them. He didn’t need the reminders often-- Oikawa was always _around_ , so what good were reminders when the person was right there? But sometimes, sometimes Iwaizumi used them as a way to fortify his own strength and to keep going. 

“Hey,” Iwaizumi said in the present and pressed a hand gently into Tooru’s sleep ruffled hair. They were collapsed in bed together, Oikawa back from an away game and victorious. Tooru mumbled something against the skin of Hajime’s throat, but refused to look up at him in reply. “I love you.” 

Oikawa shuffled and then pushed himself up on his elbows. “I love you too,” Tooru replied. His eyes were warm and a warm, sleepy smile was on his face. “Iwa-chan is so sappy, saying something like that out of the blue!” 

“It’s not out of the blue,” Iwaizumi replied. He affected a grumble in order to keep up appearances, but his heart fluttered in his chest. He loved this idiot _so fucking much_. It was ridiculous. He would never have it any other way. 

“Were you thinking about how gay you were for me again, Hajime?” Tooru teased. 

Iwaizumi reached behind his head for the pillow. “Shut up,” he retorted. “You’re just as sappy.” He smacked his boyfriend across the face a moment later. Oikawa squacked and fought back, tried to wrestle the new weapon out of Iwaizumi’s grasp. 

Several minutes later, when they were stretched back out on the bed and tangled up in each other, he seemed to pick the conversation back up without any struggle. “True,” he replied. “Hajime is the best thing in my day, every day! Volleyball is a very, very close second, though, so don’t get a big head, Iwa-chan. I wouldn’t want it to swell and swell! You’re not tall enough to be able to lug that arou-- ouch! Iwa-chan, rude!” 

Iwaizumi wrapped his arms tightly around Oikawa and pressed him in against himself, his own lips stretched into a huge smile. He loved every smile Oikawa had, but maybe, just maybe, he loved the smiles Tooru brought out of _him_ even more.


End file.
